Hamlet's Destructive Humor Humor can be funny and uplifting or cynical and destructive. Hamlet's humor insults everyone around him and is very cynical and leads to his downfall. When Hamlet insults the people around him, his remarks are not clearly understood by the people he is insulting. Hamlet makes Polonius look like a fool when he criticizes him with his words, and Polonius does not know that he has been deceived. Hamlet also mocks the courtiers, particularly Rosencrantz and Guildernstern. While Hamlet doesn't stop there, he also insults Claudius and his mother, Gertrude. Hamlet's love, Ophelia, is also an unfortunate victim of these observations. All these hurtful remarks show Hamlet's lack of sympathy for other people, and this confusion leads to his downfall. When Hamlet pretends to be mad, Polonius is the most unfortunate victim of Hamlet's offensive and humorous words. When Polonius asks Hamlet, "Do you know me, my lord?" (2.2.173) Hamlet responds by saying, “Excellent, you are a fishmonger.” (2.2.174). Hamlet says that Polonius is sacrificing his daughter's happiness to win the king's trust. Hamlet says to Polonius, "Why if the sun breeds worms in a dead dog, being a good-kissing carrion, have you a daughter?" (2.2.182-183). Hamlet says that it is not surprising that Polonius is so hypocritical, because the life-giving sun can produce all sorts of horrible things, especially from other horrible things. Polonius asks Hamlet: "Will you come out of the air, my lord?" (2.2.204), and Hamlet says, “In my grave” (2.2.204). When Polonius offers Hamlet to go to a warmer room, Hamlet says that he would rather die than go anywhere with Polonius. All of these offensive remarks show that Polon… in the center of the paper… Hamlet's humor is rude and offensive to the people around him; he is very cynical and leads to his downfall. Hamlet demonstrates his cynical humor when he deceives Polonius, mocks the courtiers, and insults Claudius, Gertrude, and Ophelia. Hamlet insults Polonius with his words and always finds out what the courtiers were doing. All these experiences prove that humor can be joyful but on the other hand, it could prove to be very fatal. Works cited and consulted: Bloom, Harold. Modern critical interpretations of Hamlet. New York, NY: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Brodwin, Leonora. Analysis of Hamlet's character. Notes from the monarch. Brodwin's NotesScott-Hopkins, Benjamin. "Hamlet's dark humor" Shakespeare-OnlineShakespeare, William. "Hamlet." The complete work of William Shakespeare. William George Clark and William Aldis Wright, ed. Printing running. 1989.